It was on the afternoon of a bright and pleasant summer day in the early part of August, that I found myself in the lovely little park that surrounds the railroad station at Garden City. A few days previously a refreshing and invigorating rain had fallen, which had imparted fresh verdure to all vegetation, and caused the well mown lawn to assume a garb of living-green, while the spray from numerous fountains sparkled in the sun. It was through scenes like this, a pleasant walk of ten or fifteen minutes duration, which brought me to my destination - the flower farm of C. L. Allen & Co., where I was so fortunate as to meet with that well-known horticultural writer, Mr. C. L. Allen, the senior member of the firm, who welcomed me in a most cordial manner and, at my request, kindly accompanied me around the farm.

Upon entering the grounds, my attention was first attracted by a fine display of Lilium auratum, covering some three acres of ground, the plants of which, for size and vigor, far surpassed anything of the kind that I had ever seen before - each stalk having from fifteen to thirty buds and blossoms upon it. This is a lily that is considered difficult of cultivation, but Mr. Allen says that if properly cared for, it is as easily grown as L. Lig-rinum, and at my request, kindly gave the following directions for its treatment: This is a lily that, like speciosum and some others, forms a new bulb inside of the other for some two or three years, after which it begins to form small bulbs at the base of the stem; and, in order to keep up a stock, these small bulbs should be taken off and planted in a rich, deep soil. It is essential that they be planted deep, in order that the young bulbs may form above the old one, which they will not do if the old one is near the surface; plant at least ten inches deep, and they will continue to increase and bloom for a long time. If a large bulb be planted near the surface it will gradually waste away.

Young vigorous bulbs being the best for planting.

L. tigrinum fl. pl. speciosum and its varieties are also grown in immense quantities, as well as other varieties of this charming tribe, and all of them seemed to be in the greatest vigor and health imaginable. I also saw Hyacinthus candicans for the first time, and I confess that I was quite dis-appoinced with it. It bears a striking resemblance in manner of flowering, but instead of the flowers being in a cluster, they are scattered along the flower-stem and its branches. Mr. Allen thought it would do much better if given a moist and partially shaded situation.

Eulalia Japonica, variegata and Zebrina are also grown in immense quantities. Mr. Allen considers the Eulalias the most ornamental of all the grasses, and considers cut sprays of their foliage indispensible for summer floral-work. An acre or so of Petunias was alone well worth coming to see, one-half being the new dwarf Inimitable - a variety of dwarf, compact habit, the plants never attaining a height of more than six inches, and which are literally covered with regular striped flowers - and for bedding or massing, one of the best. I also noticed some fine plants of the Grandiflora section. I also saw an immense quantity of Gaillardia picta Lorenziana, and from what I have seen of it as grown here and elsewhere, consider it well deserving of a prominent position on the list of unworth\ novelties. Balsams are a leading specialty with this firm, and a display of several acres was indeed a surprise to me. I have no recollection of ever seeing more perfect flowers, and I do not see any room for improvement in this respect.

Mr. Allen called my attention to the " Perfection," a magnificently formed flower, almost as large as a camellia, and having a longer and stouter stem than balsams generally possess, which makes it just the thing for cut-flower work, the flowers being of a creamy white color.

I also noticed a magnificient collection of Zinnia elegans fl. pl., the flowers of which for size and shape could not be excelled and, as a further evi-dence of their superior quality, I may be permitted to state that Mr. Allen was awarded the first premium for his collection at the September, 1882, exhibition of the New York Horticultural Society. Here I also saw a very superior strain of the beautiful Zinnia Haageana. Cannas, Delphiniums, Pansies, Celosias are also grown in immense quantities, and all of the very best quality, showing skill and care in their selection and cultivation. Ten acres or more of tuberoses, (pearl and double) grown for their bulbs, was a leading feature of this establishment, and so carefully were they cared for that not a weed was to be seen amongst them. And last, but not least, were the Gladiolus and, I admit, I cannot begin to describe them: there they were in all their beauty before me, acres being occupied with them, and almost every shade of color being represented, from the bright vermilion scarlet of Brenchleyensis, to the almost pure white of La Candeur.

Space could not be afforded me to mention the numerous varieties, but a few of the most beautiful were Virgil, Meyerbeer, Aure, Dr. Lindley, Isaac Buchanan, Pasquin, Flamingo and Gen. Sheridan, the latter being a superb seedling, not yet ready for distribution.

A noticeable feature of this establishment is the remarkable accuracy in the names of the different varieties. Handling as they do such an immense stock (over a million and a half of Gladiolus bulbs last season) it would seem a very difficult affair, but the business is so systematized that mistakes are almost impossible. Another striking feature was the entire absence of weeds. Mr. Allen says it is a rule with him to cultivate thoroughly, a cultivator being run through everything at least once a week, and, if at all possible, after every rain, even if it is twice or three times a week - this done very little hoeing is required, and the ground is left in the best possible condition. Mr. Allen says that, to most persons, weeds are a blessing in disguise - they cultivate and hoe to destroy the weeds and are rewarded with large crops.

Unfortunately, I was limited as to time, which prevented my taking more copious notes, but if this brief description will prove of interest to some of the readers of the Monthly it will not have been written in vain.